This invention relates to a prosthetic device, and more particularly, to a prosthetic arterial bypass, venous bypass or arterial-venous graft.
When an artery or vein becomes occluded, a surgical procedure is typically performed by a vascular surgeon to restore proper blood flow. The known procedure includes a formal surgical incision and exposure of the blocked artery or vein. A prosthetic bypass member or a natural vein is then sutured to the blocked vessel both upstream and downstream of the occlusion so as to divert the flow of blood around the blockage.
A similar surgical procedure is required to place a graft between an artery and a vein, which is clinically used in dialysis patients. Such formal surgical procedures require the use of an operating room and, as a result, are costly.